11.08.14
Charities given £2m to help ease pressure on NHS winter waiting lists
Up to eight volunteer groups will be given a share of £2m to help provide extra help and support to the NHS over the busy winter months.
In particular, the groups, including Age UK, British Red Cross and the Royal Voluntary Service, will run local projects that target those people most at risk of admission to hospital and who need extra support when they are discharged.
This latest initiative is joint venture between the national tripartite (NHS England, Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority, with the Association of Directors of Social Services) and the Cabinet Office.
The schemes come after new figures revealed that the number of people waiting at least 18 weeks for treatment in the NHS is at a six-year high. Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has stated that he wants to get the number of people waiting more than a year for NHS treatment “as close to zero as possible”.
However, Andy Burnham, shadow health secretary, said: “The prime minister promised to keep NHS waiting times down but these figures show he has failed the test he set himself.
“Under his government, there are more people on NHS waiting lists and those patients are waiting longer for treatment.”
But Brooks Newmark, minister for civil society, stated that the new funds will showcase the potential of social action to reduce hospital pressures and improve patient experience, and will be sustained into the long-term by local commissioners.
Sarah Pinto-Duschinsky, director of NHS Operations and Delivery, said: “The colder winter months can take their toll on many of us but none more so than older people and those with long-term conditions, where even the common cold, can trigger a hospital stay.
“These innovative projects will support the fantastic work of doctors and nurses across the NHS and help ease the pressure on busy our A&E departments by helping people stay well and recover from illness.”
An example of the work which will be undertaken includes Age UK and the British Red Cross working together in Leeds to run a hospital discharge support and A&E admission avoidance service. The scheme will operate seven days a week including holidays, with patients supported throughout their stay in hospital and at home.
The Nuffield Trust has been appointed as external assessors to evaluate the success and impact of the selected schemes.
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